The first of the month brings many horsey "must dos" at my place, probably at yours, too. So Tuesday's barn visit consisted of things to do. I dropped off my board payment, probably a good blog post in there as we are very lucky to pay so little in our area, and then I took care of a few other things.

Speedy G is on a on a monthly dose of Adequan, so he got that first. Even though it is expensive, $289 for seven doses, endurance horses work very hard and their joints really take a beating. Now that we're not doing endurance racing, I am not sure how necessary it is, but I give it anyway. I am guessing that dressage horses work their joints pretty thoroughly as they become more and more collected. Isn't that the very definition of collection: rocking back on their hocks and rotating their pelvis? I'd like to know how many other owners of young, uninjured horses give Adequan prophylactically. Speedy's still just six years old.

His lips are closed only so that he doesn't lose any!

Speedy G was not very easy to give oral products to when he came to me, so I made it my mission to teach him to want junk crammed in his mouth. And I mean it - he WANTS what I am giving. It was such a successful technique, that on the months that he doesn't get a wormer product, like this month, he gets a fake "dose" of molasses-water as a "treat."

I know that in the photo it looks as though I am forcing the syringe through pinched lips, but actually he's pinching his lips tightly to avoid spilling what's being dispensed from the syringe. When he sees the syringe coming, he opens his mouth, sucks on it like a straw, clamps his mouth closed, and swallows. Perfect form!

There's definitely a blog post about this in the future, as teaching him to allow me to administer oral products was a VERY successful endeavor.

And finally, a "Thought for the Day," submitted by Baskin's mom: "Riding today, and wondering... how do all those people keep white saddle pads WHITE! I mean, sweaty pony, black saddle and boots rubbin away... "

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About the Writer & Rider

I am a lifetime rider. I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.​Welcome to my dressage journey.

About Speedy G

Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse and occasional trail horse. He is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

August 2018

About Izzy

Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are schooling the dressage basics. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand Zweibrücker gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.